• Our Ring Around Ireland
    The Dominican Black Abbey was founded in 1225 — Kilkenny, Ireland.
    A modern take on a stained glass window ... Black Abbey — Kilkenny, Ireland.The Rosary window is said to be the largest stained glass window in Ireland — Kilkenny, Ireland.Statue of St Dominic ... damaged during the Cromwellian siege ... Black Abbey — Kilkenny, Ireland.Trinity sculpture from 1264 ... Black Abbey — Kilkenny, Ireland.

    Dominican Black Abbey

    June 20, 2019 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    From St Mary’s Cathedral, we continued our meandering walk and ended up at the Dominican Black Abbey, which was founded in 1225. It’s history was quite tumultuous ... surviving the 1650 siege of Kilkenny by Cromwell ... serving as a courthouse after being seized by the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I ... and finally being restored to worship by the Dominicans after they regained possession in the early 19th century.

    The abbey’s name comes from the term “Black Friars” ... used to describe members of the Dominican Order. Why? Simple really ... because they wore a black cloak over their white habit.

    The two highlights for me ... the modern stained glass window and the Rosary window, which is said to be the biggest stained glass window in Ireland.    Read more